Friday, January 6, 2012

“I just want to remember,” she says matter-of-factly, and she pulls the covers right back up over her head.

It is well after our 8 o’clock bed time. I have been sunk deep in the couch and in the Word knowing that 13 pairs of feet were tucked snugly in 13 beds. But as I make my way from the couch to my room, something catches my eye and I peek my head in the girls’ bedroom.

There flat on the cold, hard tile floor is my 11 year old with her blanket pulled tightly around herself. It doesn’t look as if she has rolled out of bed; it looks intentional. I nudge her awake. “Honey, what are you doing on the floor?” Why would anyone ever choose to sleep on this, the hardest of surfaces, with a comfortable bed just inches away?

“Remember,” she mumbles sleepily, “I just want to remember. Some people don’t have a bed,mom. I didn’t have a bed, mom. God gave me a bed. And I wanted to remember what it was like to not have one.”

We have to remember. Because how can we ever move forward if we don’t look back? This God, He makes promises and in remembering we see the truth: this God, He keeps promises.

A new year is such a perfect invitation to remember. I look out over this vast blankness, yet to be filled with His promises and fulfillments, yet to be riddled with hard and splashed with joy. It threatens to be overwhelming. For a moment, pondering the how's and the why's and the what-if's seems much more alluring than meditating on these promises printed on thin paper. In knowing who I am not, I forget who He is always: powerful, able, faithful. But then I think back over the hard and the joy of last year, the faithfulness of God in each one of those moments and I know that I can move forward with this Father holding my hands.

I peek my head back in a she’s sound asleep, her chest rising and falling against the tile. I kneel there for a moment and think hard about all He has done, how far He has brought us. I am completely overwhelmed by His goodness and His faithfulness. We can do tomorrow. We can do this year, with all of its unknown and all of its hard and all of its joy because we trust in this God who has given us so much to remember.

Will you join me this month in remembering? I have spent the last month of quiet pondering all that God has done this year. Allowing myself to be completely overwhelmed by the beauty of life with this Savior friend by my side and in awe of the miracles He has performed, big and small, on our behalf. I had to ponder and cry and laugh and lay prostrate on the bathroom floor in gratitude for all that He has done. And now He is whispering, "It is time to share. Tell my people what I have done for you."

So with no fancy writing and no eloquent words and no worrying about punctuation (because His works are too perfect to be embellished), I am going to spend this month remembering out loud His goodness, taking a cue from my 11 year old daughter and remembering all He has given and knowing that in Him there in only more to come.

Thank you for praying us through 2011. Please rejoice with us at all He has done!

Shout for joy to God all the earth!

Sing the glory of His name; give Him glorious praise!

Say to God, "How awesome are our deeds!

So great is our power hat your enemies come cringing to you.

All the ends of the earth worship you and sing praises to you;

they sing praise to your name."

Come and see what God has done:

He is awesome in His deeds toward the children of man.

He turned the sea into dry land;

they passed through the river on foot.

There did we rejoice in Him who rules by His might forever,

whose eyes keep watch on all the nations -

let not the rebellious exalt themselves.

Bless our God, O people;

let the sound of His praise be heard,

who has kept our soul among the living, who has not let our feet slip.

For you, Oh God have tested us; you have tired us as silver is tried.

You have brought us into the net; you have laid a crushing burden on our backs; you let men ride over our heads.

We wnt through fire and water, yet you have brought us into a place of abundance.

This psalm has been one of my favorites for a long time. I love to remember all that He has done for me. It's great to be overwhelmed by it all..

I've so stunned that your 11 year old has the ability to think about how far she's come; to compare how her life used to be to how it is now. So driven to remember it that she'd sleep on the floor. Beauty. Sheer beauty. What a great reminder to the rest of us. I'm so grateful that an 11 year old half a world away can teach me such a great lesson.

I'm enamored with all you're doing, Katie. My wife and I are adopting two girls who live in Luweero, Uganda. We'll (Lord willing) bring them home in May. Secretly, I hope to swing over to Jinja on Saturday during the community lunch and meet some of your family!

Looking forward to your month of reflection and sharing (hopefully via this blog and twitter). It encourages me greatly to read your thoughts and struggles.

God Bless you Katie and your children in knowing our Lord and Savior as your greatest treasure of all. I am so moved and blessed since i read your book that i have been telling everyone aboutit. Amazing what God can do with anyone that is willing to listen and act.

I love reading these blogs and generally always walk away with a gentle reminder to see God in the SMALL as well as the big.. Thank you for the reminder that He is in all. both big and small.. Thank you.

It makes me happpy every time I see a new post from you. Thanks for sharing your journey, your faith, and your life with us. God has been so good to us this year too (our son was born with heart defects, had open heart surgery, and is now home and doing well!) And I can't wait to hear more about what He has done in and through you!

wow. what a powerful post. all too often, we take the little things, like beds, for granted. my family and i have the priviledge of going to jamaica on mission trips, and every time we return to the states, we are in awe of our blessings.

i have ordered your book and cannot wait to receieve it in the mail and read it! :)

Amazing, the true heart of a child. I am interested in helping your cause medically in anyway I can serve. I am a board certified physician assistant and have many nurses, doctors, pharmacists that could help, I just need to know what you all need. Thank you for your story, I am on my 3rd time reading your book. Love to you and your beautiful family.

Thank you--Been battling with the fear of sharing and worrying it would not appear as humble as I feel. I appreciate your words and encouragement. Hope you are doing well--I'll be in Tanzania next week..if for some crazy reason I just happened to have to go to Jinja, i would be one happy girl to see you all again. XO

Today I stumbled upon your blog. I watched your videos on youtube. It has not even yet been a full day here and I am amazed at just how inspired I am. I am around your age, im 22 and I believe I can make a difference after seeing all that you have done. I have a beautiful family and a beautiful life here, but I long for so much more. To make others be as blessed as me. I want to do what you do. I want to read your book and I will be praying that God comes to meet me and allows me to walk on the water with Him just as he did with Peter. Than you, Katie

Katie - I just found your blog last week after hearing about your book through another blog. I just want to tell you what an inspiration you are. You are such a special person, annointed by God for this calling. And I am so proud of you for stepping out in blind faith, for being willing to fully depend on Him for your needs, and for loving mankind the way our Lord does. I'm anxiously waiting for your book to arrive so I can start reading it. Bless you!

I was so blessed to read your post. I tend to get caught up in "me" and forget "He". You are so right, He is powerful, faithful, loving and most trustworthy. I spend the first part of every year thinking about what God has done and how far He has brought me during the past 365 days. I will certainly join you in choosing to remember what He has done and in praying for you and what He has for you to do in His kingdom and for His glory.

Something about your writing always moves me to tears. I think about your 11yo trying to remember what it was like to not have a bed... and I think about how hard it is for me sometimes to remember the things I used to not have, but now have been given. It is hard to maintain a thankful heart. But, He has been faithful to me in so many ways... your post makes me want to sit here and think about that.

What a beautiful, precious girl. It's amazing how wise children are. It's a constant struggle to have the faith of a child and I hope I may be humble enough to be like your little girl. Thank you for sharing this and helping us remember. May our Savior give you and your precious daughters a year full of beauty, grace, joy, miracles, and tons and tons of love.

While teaching in another country that I was locked out of the faculty housing, everyone in the house had left for vacation, my money was in the house, the school was closed for another week, the electricity in the city went out, there was no moon out, I didn't speak the local languages as I had only been there 2 weeks, and my sandals had broken. I sat in front of the house and prayed, "Lord help me I do not know what to do." And the Lord guided me down a couple of streets, down a dark alley that didn't even look like an alley since you had to keep your back to the wall or fall into a latrine like stream, and to a lady who happened to be sitting outside. I asked her in my Spanglish, "Donde Mamma Alicia". And she pointed to the house across from her. I knocked on the house and there was Mamma Alicia the lady who had the keys for the faculty housing!! In a city with a million people God led me directly to the correct house. I don't want to forget how it feels to be blindly led by the Lord.

Katie, THANK YOU SO MUCH for opening up your heart to all of us and for allowing God to use you in such a tremendously encouraging way! You, your children and your ministry are continually in my prayers and you have ignited a passion deep within my heart. May God continue to bless you in every way on every day of 2012.

Katie,I just got your book from my brother and his wife for Christmas. Wow, I finished your book late last night and cried myself to sleep. You remind me of myself except you are doing what my heart longs to do. I have been on several short term trips and I have friends here in Columbia, SC who were in Uganda for 7 years. So , I am going to pass your book to them and my husband and my best friend and teachers at our school. You amaze me and your story has renewed my faith in the Lord and reminded me of how real He is and can talk to us and do miracles. I have become so complacent in my walk and your book has changed me. I wish I could read more. I am praying now what God wants me to do now that he has so strongly revealed himself to me again.

Such a sweet thing. He knows how to give good gifts to His children and I will remember. Isn't it so cool how through the eyes of children we can learn about so much? I am praying for you sister! May the Lord continue to bless you and all you little girls. He is a good Father. and He is near.

Katie I am in awe and humbled by your faith.In reading your book,it has reminded me of how blessed I am.Reading your book was in perfect timing with my wife and I being convicted of,"more of Him and less of us." We are in the process of adopting from Ethiopia, and God is teaching us to trust Him, even against what would seem to be the impossible. I will indeed continue to pray for you and your family, and I will praise God for what He has done.I look forward to hearing of the great things yet to come. Thank you for your ministry God Bless.

Katie, I love your blog and more so your heart! What a great reminder to look and remember how He's been faithful. Saying a prayer for you this morning (for you; it's almost bed time for me. :]) and hope He works mightily in your heart and the hearts of your kids today. :)

Katie,I just bought your book today. Tears fell in the store as I read your inside cover of your beautiful walk with our Father. I'm 38, a mom of 4yr boy and twwin 2yr old girls. I often feel overwhelmed at being a mom but am so inspired w your joy and peace for your "small" crew:))I grew up in shoes similar to yours and am so inspired by your selflessness. I thank God for you and will be praying for you tonight and daily as I read your story. I will share it w friends at church. I will pray for ways that I can help you. I'll be checking your blog for your updates! In Christ,Laura Mills - Friendswood, Texas

Katie, your story has sparked a fire in my heart; my life will never be the same. You have encouraged me to step out into unknown territory to see what amazing blessings God has in store when I say "yes"! Your name is at the top of my daily prayer list; I join with many others who will pray daily that God continue to so abundantly provide for you, your children and Amazima Ministries.

I think of you and pray for you daily. I recently started following your blog. My heart has been hurting since. I never realized how much I have to be thankful for. I pray that I will never even think about complaining about dirty dishes, fussing over dirty laundry, or wish i could own a home ever again! I catch myself thinking about all of the children you take care of and love. And what a difference you are making in their lives. And then I think about all the orphans in this world who need a Katie of their own. I want to be a Katie. And I am on a mission to figure out how. Where. When. I pray that God will give you strength to continue. I pray He gives you sweet rest when you need it. I pray He comforts you when your heart is breaking. Jesus loves you and so do I.

Remembering never to forget... Greater entrustment has no person than the gift of the Gospel and the time to on this side of eternity to share what God has done for us. If I had nothing but the Three-in-One... I have more than enough! "Clap your hands, all you nations; shout to God with cries of joy. How awesome is the LORD Most High, the great King over all the earth!" -Psalm 47:1,2

What a beautiful way for God to reach others with His love! You are so dear to so many, Katie, as you walk the walk and share Christ to all who will listen! Bless you and bless your family, ministry, and work in Him. I am both humbled and proud to call you family! Love you, Cousin Brenda

hello, katie!i have also emailed on amazima's contact page but i am so excited that i'm writing to you here too. :) i adore your blog, your heart, your ministry, and most of all your God. my God. <3 i would like to offer to translate your blog into spanish so that people from one more continent can have access to your words. because your words make me want to fall on my knees and worship my God; they make me want to fulfill the law of loving God and loving man. i want for everyone to have a heart that marvels at Jesus and breaks for man.if you are interested, please contact me at jenny.l.goodman@gmail.commuch love!j

I love that you said we have to remember and in remembering we the truth this God who keeps his promises. So much truth spoken in remembering. Just finished your book and I am going to reread before passing it on. Way to go for being obedient and choosing Him daily and focusing on the one in front of you.P.S. I was showing a coworker your book and she said I went to high school with her. Such a small world

I received your book from a friend and it has literally been life changing for me. I've been to Africa twice, and each time, I left a piece of my heart there. Your book and these blogs have helped me "remember" that passion, and the call God has given me to not only care about the poor but care for them. I have drawn strength and courage from you and your children to step into whatever it is God has for me. THANK YOU for sharing your life with us!

The more you write, the more I totally fall in love with your heart for Jesus, for others, and to remember :) I love the theme of remembering in the Bible. And the greatest thing in the world is to be remembered by God Himself - the One Who is all in all:

Samson: Judges 16:28: Then Samson called to the LORD and said, "O Lord GOD, please remember me and please strengthen me only this once, O God, that I may be avenged on the Philistines for my two eyes."

Hannah: 1 Samuel 1:11, 19-20: And she vowed a vow and said, "O LORD of hosts, if you will indeed look on the affliction of your servant and remember me and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a son, then I will give him to the LORD all the days of his life, and no razor shall touch his head" . . . and the LORD remembered her. And in due time Hannah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Samuel, for she said, "I have asked for him from the LORD."

Nehemiah 13:31: Remember me, O my God, for good.

David: Psalm 25:6-7: Remember your mercy, O LORD, and your steadfast love, for they have been from of old. Remember not the sins of my youth or my transgressions; according to your steadfast love remember me, for the sake of your goodness, O LORD!

Asaph: Psalm 74:2: Remember your congregation, which you have purchased of old, which you have redeemed to be the tribe of your heritage! Remember Mount Zion, where you have dwelt.

Jeremiah: Jeremiah 15:15: O LORD, you know; remember me and visit me, and take vengeance for me on my persecutors. In your forbearance take me not away; know that for your sake I bear reproach.

Habakkuk: Habakkuk 3:2: O LORD, I have heard the report of you, and your work, O LORD, do I fear. In the midst of the years revive it; in the midst of the years make it known; in wrath remember mercy.

The thief on the cross: Luke 23:42-43: And he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." And he said to him, "Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise."

Your work in Uganda makes me feel God's amazing work, heart, and power. Thank you for updating your blog and writing your book, it's so inspirational and challenging. We take so many things for granted in our culture and never stop and realize. We will be praying for you and your lovely family for this upcoming year, 2012.

Your work in Uganda makes me feel God's amazing work, heart, and power. Thank you for updating your blog and writing your book, it's so inspirational and challenging. We take so many things for granted in our culture and never stop and realize. We will be praying for you and your lovely family for this upcoming year, 2012.

Katie. This is beautiful. You. Your life. What you are doing. Your kids. What you are teaching them. Wow. Katie. Wow. This is truly amazing. I will continue to pray for you and your family. I got your book for my birthday and I am beyond excited to dive into it! <3 to you and your beautiful family.

Just finished your book and so blessed to hear of your work. Working on putting a clinic in Zambia and I could relate with your love for the people. You are wise beyond your years and God so loves your heart.

Words can not describe how GOD has touched your life. I saw your story on the local news back in Oct. and bought your book and started reading your blog. God has touched my life through reading how he has worked through you. Keep up the amazing work you are doing!

What a SWEET blessing for all of us to journey 'the Journey' with you and your girls, Katie. What a PRIVILEGE to get to pray for yall! THANK YOU for allowing us in blog-land to see our Father's heart for all. Yall are among those we pray for everyday!Lots of hugs...

I read your book several weeks ago and have been checking your website everyday to see if you've posted. I am in awe of what God has done thru you and for you...and then I realize all He does thru and for ALL of us-perhaps not on the scale that you are witnessing. :)

Your story is amazing. I wake up every morning thinking about the life you have chosen to live, and this most recent post has encouraged me to proclaim outloud the blessings I experience as well.

Thank you Katie for sharing with all of us. The work you do in His name is beautiful and you and your family shine so brightly. Thank you for being a light in the darkness. You, your family and Amazima ministries is in my prayers.~Kate

Thank you so much for all that you've allowed the Lord to do through you! As you look back and remember, I have just heard your story, and just received your book - you are literally living the life that God has given me a longing and vision for! Thank you for obediently remembering!

Katie and girls. What a privilege to see into the life the Father has blessed you all with. My daughter Hannah and I began to read your book together this evening. At times I was so filled with emotion the words would hardly come out of my mouth. And that was just through the introduction. Tears of sadness mixed with joy and an awe of the Father's love all wrapped in one. Thank you for allowing us to walk with you and your girls on your faith journey. Looking forward to your upcoming blogs as you build on altar of thanks and praise to our glorious Savior and King Jesus with the stones of remembrance. What a beautiful record of God's faithfulness to gift to your daughters to always help them remember. Happy New Year! Praying God's continued blessing on your family.

Your daughter's words give me chills. Please let her know they touched my life, here in the rural hills of Pennsylvania. I too am in awe of all the Lord's goodness. He too has called me to thank him for things yet to pass. Thank you for sharing and reminding me!

Someday i want to do good like you, like Him. Your blogs remind me that I'm not the only one who aspires to do something greater, and to be someone better than I ever dreamed I could. Thanks for being my light, God Bless

Katie.i did not want your book to end, please do another one (in your spare time) hait has helped me love and give thanks for my family in more godly ways. thank you for sharing your life with the world.

I have been reading your blog for a while and wanted to post you a message, stange as it may be, from a complete stanger. I lead a ladies bible study/prayer group in the UK and last night showed them your youtube video and summarised your story. They were stunned to silence. All of them challenged and inspired.

What surprised them the most was how normal and 'real' you were. God uses the most ordinary of people to accomplish His extraordinary plans.

Katie, I wanted to tell you that your posts are very encouraging. I am 17 years old and I want to be a missionary to Africa. I have your book and I sometimes imagine myself being there as I read. I pray that God continues to do great things in your life in the bush.

Katie,Thank you for sharing your life in Christ with us all. Your girls are beautiful!Because of you I am privileged to have sponsored a child in Uganda this year and hope to every year.May God continue to Bless you and your girls and all that you set out to do for the cause of Jesus Christ.

Katie, I am 22, live in Tyler Texas. I am currently reading your book and following your blog. I am daily amazed at your story and the things God is doing through you. Thank you for sharing and reminding me of God's grace and pure love. Remembering his protection, strength and guidance over this past year, and knowing He will continue to lead. Praying for you and your beautiful family!

katie you are a wonderful person or a person serving a wonderful God or both. Your beautiful story has touched my heart and I am sending you money to sponser a child. What you are doing could only be done through the power of our almighty God and Savior.Your friend in Christ. Naomi

I bought your book for my 25yr. old daughter. She is going to Zimbabwe in Sept. for 2 weeks. She said they have the highest rate for kids having Aids there. I read the book in 3 days,and then ordered it for a teen in my Sunday School class. My 10yr.old son has also started reading it. It is an awesome book. I wish I could do what you do. I love the way you give God the Glory for everything. He is the Awesome one.